Box Turtles, Hooligans, and Love, Sweet Love

By: Dansak, Mary

This book is a collection of columns written by Mary Dansak. Dansak, a writer, equestrian, and naturalist, draws on a life of rich, personal experiences with animals including a drooling possum, a pet crow, several snakes, equines of all kinds, and a pet rat. Dansak also writes about topics like the chemistry of love, and how one's own microbiome leads to cravings of sugary treats. Dansak's deep respect and love for the natural world shines in each of her essays. She delivers not only information about her subjects, but shows how we are connected to these natural wonders.

In addition to writing about natural sciences, Dansak includes bits of memoir about her unorthodox childhood as the daughter of a renowned herpetologist and sister to a hooligan brother, and her experiences rambling about the forests and rivers of Alabama and beyond. She writes of a penchant for pine cones, tales of virgin birth, and a visit to a cave full of twinkling insect larvae with wonderstruck awe.

Always writing from a place of abiding love, Dansak leaves readers with fresh perspectives on the world around them. She is overt in her mission to foster respect for the natural world in the hopes that understanding breeds good stewardship.

The columns in this book are presented in the order in which they were written, enabling readers to engage in Dansak's observations on seasonal changes and holidays. Even so, each essay is complete unto itself, and serve as stand-alone pieces. Averaging around eight-hundred words each, they are as digestible as they are entertaining.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GL2RYXYM
• ISBN13: 9798999694126
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Little Green Notebook
• Length: 254 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"